Last night’s Virginia attorney general debate exposed what many conservatives have been saying for weeks: Jay Jones’ past words reveal a dangerous lack of judgment that should disqualify him from holding the commonwealth’s top law-enforcement office. Jones appeared at the University of Richmond and offered an apology on camera, saying he was “ashamed” and “embarrassed,” but the damage is already done and Virginians are right to demand accountability.
The texts at the center of the scandal aren’t mere locker-room bluster — they included violent fantasies about a Republican leader, even referencing “two bullets to the head,” and vile wishes directed at that leader’s children. These messages, first reported from 2022, show a pattern of dehumanizing rhetoric that no candidate for attorney general should shrug off.
Republican incumbent Jason Miyares rightly pressed Jones hard, arguing that someone who fantasizes about political violence lacks the temperament to enforce the law fairly. The debate made plain that this isn’t just a rhetorical problem — it’s a test of fitness for office, and donors and voters have taken note, pouring money into Miyares’ defense as goodwill for rule-of-law candidates spikes.
Make no mistake: Jones apologized, but he has refused to do the only honorable thing and bow out. His poll numbers have slipped and prominent Democrats are quietly distancing themselves, which tells you everything about how toxic this scandal has become for the party that claims to stand for decency.
Conservatives should also call out the media and leftist defenders who try to paper over real threats when it suits their side — hypocrisy has consequences. While some in the establishment rush to minimize similar misconduct on the right, Jones’ violent messages are being rightly treated as a serious breach of public trust, and the contrast should shame anyone who excuses partisan double standards.
This race matters beyond personalities: the 2025 Virginia attorney general contest will shape how laws are enforced in a Commonwealth that has swung blue in national cycles but remains fiercely independent at the ballot box. Virginians who care about law and order, fairness, and basic decency should view last night’s debate as a wake-up call to protect their communities from candidates who flirt with political violence.
Jason Miyares stepped into the breach and reminded voters that the attorney general must be a steady guardian of justice, not someone who once fantasized about murdering political opponents. If conservatives want to keep Virginia safe and sane, they’ll turn out in force and send a clear message that threats against opponents and their families are disqualifying, not forgivable.
